One Good Deed
by Kieri
Summary: (Complete) A tournament shortly after the 22nd Budoukai is in jeopardy. An alien commander and her special ops team must win a fight beneath the stands to save thousands of lives. Just one thing stands in her way; an angry young Namekian claiming to be t
1. Chapter 1

Here we go, my first posting. First, the usual disclaimer -- I don't own them (except for Khri, Sai and their baggage), I didn't create them, but I like them all the same. For the sake of consistency I'm using the name spellings from the US release of the Shonen Jump manga.

This story technically could fall under the Dragonball category, but if Khri takes me where she intends to go, the scope is going to get a lot, lot bigger.

* * *

"One Good Deed"  
  
_"This assignment is supposed to be a reward?"_ - Khri  
  
Khri stared down the empty tunnel, her back to the stone wall, careful to stay in the shadows.  
  
The tournament was scheduled to begin at any moment, which explained the welcome drop in foot traffic in the access tunnel that ran beneath the stands. One ear clearly heard the sounds of the excited crowd; the other was bombarded with a constant chatter from the heavy communications array she wore. "North tunnel is clear, Commander," a familiar voice cut in.  
  
"I'm in South now, but I'm getting a few last minute stragglers," she replied softly. Ah, Sai! Her right-hand man, dependable to a fault. Also one of the few officers she could trust not to slip poison in her tea or a knife in her back.  
  
"Mom, Dad, hurry! We're gonna miss it! I don't wanna miss seeing Tenshinhan fight!"   
  
She shut her eyes and pressed herself harder against the wall. _Damn, I shouldn't have taken off those eye dampers_, she thought. If she opened them now, the little human boy tugging his dawdling parents would be treated to a set of glowing, leonine eyes staring out of the dark. She knew images like that were the stuff of nightmares for some races, humans included. Khri held her breath and waited until the sounds of whining, shuffling feet and parental grumbling had melted into the sounds of the crowd.  
  
Khri sighed, opened her eyes, then looked up and down the tunnel. "South access is clear for now," she informed her anxious team. "Fifteen marks to recheck, Sai. I'm going to see if I can find a good vantage point to watch the stands. I think if there's trouble, that's where we'll find it."  
  
"Check, Commander."  
  
No further stragglers appeared while Khri walked back down the tunnel towards the exit. She spared a glance at the sun-baked parking lot, which was overflowing with aircars and mass transit vehicles. The size of the crowd was astonishing, especially after the events surrounding the notorious 22nd Budoukai. Some enterprising businessman, sensing an opportunity, had decided to hold a local tournament just a few months later as a "sequel," hopefully without the Daimou Piccolo ending. He'd also managed to lure a couple of big-name fighters – Tenshinan and Yamcha – to this tourney early, which was an irresistible lure for any fighter who could make a fist. The cash prize was generous, the combatants came and the crowds followed.  
  
Khri snorted. This assignment was supposed to be a reward, Eldest had told her, for her outstanding service as Battle Commander of the Leonid fleet. Go to Earth, watch the tournament from a visible but reserved position, and find out why the Telkarri are interested in the event. _This isn't a reward_, she complained to herself again, tossing her blonde braid back over her shoulder, _it's a prolonged lesson in paranoia_. She was a total mis-match for this exercise; it should have been left up to scouts with more recent experience. That fact alone nagged at her like an itch on the back of her neck. If Eldest had seen fit to yank the Battle Commander off the bridge for this assignment, the situation had to be more than a simple field mission.  
  
Khri made her way to the entrance used by the fighters. Like the spectator tunnel it was empty and dark, the combatants having checked-in over thirty marks earlier. No security guards bothered with this entrance; what normal human would willingly stand in the way of anyone wanting to fight Tenshinan, Yamcha, or any of the other contestants, for that matter?  
  
The tunnel led directly through the trial arenas out to the stadium grounds. Squaring her shoulders and assuming the attitude of "walk like you own the planet," Khri was able to reach the pit that circled the ring. Nobody stopped her and Khri couldn't help but wonder what they assumed her to be. Fighter? Women did compete on occasion, but she'd just arrived and check-in had closed long ago. One of the medics, waiting for casualties? Definitely not, since medics didn't wear form-fitting black bodysuits with a matching short jacket. A reporter? Probably the best bet, since her scouting array resembled some of the headgear worn by the chatting reporters and television broadcasters. She wove through a group of combatants performing showy warm-up exercises, ignoring their leers and calls of "hey, baby!" until she found a camera crew. The female reporter – conveniently wearing a black business suit – was interviewing a bald, three-eyed warrior wearing in green. Must be Tenshinan, she thought and took note of his location. "Sai, I'm in position," Khri whispered into her comm. "I've got a good view of the ring as well as the entire east side of the seating area."  
  
"We've got north, south and west covered," he replied. "If there's any sign of Telkarran activity, we'll spot it."  
  
"Check."  
  
The itch on the back of Khri's neck blossomed into a full blown burn when she saw the list of competitors on the board. Even though this wasn't a Budoukai, most of Earth's strongest fighters were here! Not only were they some of the toughest in the galaxy -- except for those lunatic Saiyans -- several were chi users. One name not on the board was Son Goku. The boy probably wouldn't care about the cash prize, but how was he able to resist the challenge of so many good fighters in one place? If he was sitting out this fight, where was he? Surveillance of Earth transmissions showed he could fly, and Kururin, Yamcha and Tenshinan were about to master it, too. Forcing herself into an appearance of unfelt calm, Khri leaned against the outside wall of the ring and folded her arms, stretching out her long legs and crossing them at the ankles.  
  
"Sai, I know why we're here," she breathed. "The Telkarri mean to eliminate Earth's best fighters, especially the chi users."  
  
"Commander, are you sure? Why..."  
  
"This is a perfect opportunity. If they can kill most of the fighters now, they'll have an easier time of invading if our blockade fails. These fighters are a vital line of ground defense. Earth's military leaders don't realize how valuable these fighters are." Khri gritted her teeth. "Check the bets and find out who's got the highest wagers. I want watchers on all of them, especially Tenshinan and Yamcha, and I want them now."  
  
"On our way, Commander."  
  
Still holding the position of indolent boredom she didn't feel, Khri glanced back up at the board. She still had some time before Tenshinan was scheduled to fight, so her eyes darted over the crowd. What would it be? Snipers from the back of the stands with projectile weapons? It wouldn't be a chi blast; Telkarri didn't have the ability to harness that power. Neither did her own race, but they had abilities of their own. Khri felt her personal _diacha_, powder coated a flat black just for this assignment, pressing against her ribs inside her jacket. The normal reassurance its presence gave her wasn't there this time...  
  
Something struck her ankles and feet, hard. _What the hell!?_  
  
Khri dove into a crouch, _diacha_ immediately in hand but not powered. The blow hadn't been hard enough to injure her or knock her off balance, but her heightened state of worry kicked up her anger. She reached out and grabbed the small figure that had apparently tripped over her feet and hauled it up by the scruff of its neck.  
  
It was a Namekian. It was also a child.

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

"One Good Deed" - Chapter 2  
  
_"I'll never live this story down."_ - Khri  
  
"Let me go!" the little Namekian growled, baring its fangs at her.  
  
Still in a crouch, Khri stared at her captive in amazement. She had long experience with  
Namekians, more than enough to know their youngsters were polite, sensitive, intelligent and a sheer joy to be around...at least until now. This one wasn't long out of its egg, which could account for some of the rudeness, but not for the anger in his eyes. She slipped her _diacha_ back inside her jacket.   
  
"Slow down, youngster," Khri said. "I won't hurt you, but some of these muscle heads might take offense at getting their ankles shredded. Sai, are there watchers on those fighters I specified yet?" She raised her elbow higher, putting her arm out of reach of the child's claws.   
  
"The last ones are being put in place now, Commander. No sign of trouble, yet."  
  
_You're not standing where I'm standing, holding what I'm holding.._."Check."  
  
Khri became aware of chuckling around her and felt the inevitable blush work its way to her face. _You'd think after all these years I'd have that reaction under control..._ The sight of a tall, poised young woman in black struggling with a savage Namekian child had to look ludicrous and worse yet, was bringing her unwanted attention. Khri tucked him under her arm, football style, pinning his arms. "We can finish this somewhere else, can't we, little one?"   
  
"Release me right now!" he demanded as she marched off towards an exit tunnel and turned the corner, far from the eyes and ears of the fighters and the press.  
  
Eyes narrowed to slits, Khri held him out at arm's length by the back of his tunic, letting him dangle. "Listen closely," she said sharply. "I have neither the time nor patience to deal with you. You need to be returned to your guardians immediately...Sai, I didn't know there was a contingency from Namek here. Where are they seated?"  
  
He didn't keep her waiting long. "Ah...Commander? There are no Namekians in attendance at this event. I can double-check with Surveillance, but they insist there's no record of them being here."  
  
"Have them check again, Sai. I'm now in the possession of a very young one who's determined to scratch my eyes out. Hurry."  
  
"You've got a what? Hold on Commander...incoming...Surveillance confirms it. No Namekians are on Earth...officially, anyway."  
  
"Humph. That doesn't surprise me, but it certainly doesn't explain where this little one came from or why he's here. Keep me on standby, Sai. If anything urgent comes up ping me. I need a few minutes to deal with this."  
  
Khri studied her handful for clues as to his identity. He wore a simple, dark blue tunic with a sigil on the front, but it wasn't one she recognized. "Listen, youngster, I'm going to put you down now. I won't hurt you, I just want to talk to you a moment...and don't you even think about biting me!" Dropping back to a crouch, she set him gently on his feet but gripped one arm firmly. He growled and bared his teeth at her again, which almost earned him a slap. Khri's well practiced "command glare," which her crew went out of their way to avoid and withered under when they couldn't, was totally wasted on him. She grabbed the front of his tunic and pulled him towards her face until they were nose to nose. He must not have expected that; his eyes widened and he stopped struggling.   
  
"Here is a bit of good advice," she hissed softly, letting her narrowed gold eyes burn into his black ones. "Never, ever bare fang at someone you don't know. Some races, like my own, consider it a serious sign of aggression." To prove her point, Khri gave him a slow, broad smile. Her own incisors were just as sharp as his.  
  
The Namekian swallowed. _Ah-ha! You're finally thinking and listening!_ Khri leaned back and brushed the dirt from the front of his tunic, but didn't release his arm. "Now...I believe we got off on the wrong foot...specifically, mine. Do you have a name? I'm called Khri."  
  
"Its none of your business," he said, "but you will know it someday. I'll be the one who finally defeats Son Goku and all his friends!"  
  
"Really?" Under normal circumstances Khri would have been amused enough to smirk. Today, however, there was a real threat against the present chi users and normal fighters. Her team was on the lookout for a covert attack from the Telkarri, not a threat from a package so small and so surly. Just how seriously was she supposed to take him? "And who will be the mighty warrior who defeats Son Goku?"  
  
He clenched his fists and nearly showed fang, but the warning glint in her eyes must have given him second thoughts. "I will be the great Demon King! I will rule this world!"  
  
Now that he was talking rather than behaving like a cornered animal, he a youthful charm and a streak of rebellion Khri almost admired. The records of the last Budoukai and the following days were vague at best and absurd at the worst, but there was no dismissing the name of Piccolo Daimou. Son Goku had relieved the Earth of his misery even though it was never reported that way. Daimou was dead, and this little Namekian now thought he'd take over where Daimou had failed. His determination and ambition, misplaced as it was, wasn't a thing she wanted to quench. She smiled, placed her right hand over her heart and bowed from the waist up. "Well, junior Demon King, I am Battle Commander Khri of the Leonid Fleet, also known as Khri the Valiant or Khri the Catastrophic, depending on whom you talk to. It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
His eyes rounded for a moment before his scowl returned. "You are mocking me!"  
  
"Not at all. Those are my nicknames, whether or not I deserve them. I have many more, but those two nicely sum up what some civilizations think of me. Now, I need to get you back to your guardian. Where is he?"  
  
"I don't need a guardian!" The child was back to growling. "I order you to let me go!"  
  
Khri's irritation flared again. "I can count on one hand those qualified to give me orders, and you, 'Junior,' aren't one of them. I've had enough of this." At that moment the loudspeakers boomed a welcome to the audience and announced the start of the first match. Khri was thankful for the timing. The spectators were cheering the first contestants to enter the ring, so nobody saw her put a lock-hold on Junior and head for the stands. "Sai, who's the first chi user to fight in a match?"  
  
"Surveillance says its somebody named Itchy-Robe, but not until the third set."  
  
Khri spared a glance in the direction of the ring. The two current fighters looked evenly matched and were enjoying pounding each other into sand. "Good. We've got some time, then. Do you have a suggestion for a quick meeting spot?"  
  
" There's a closed concessions stand on the north side of the second floor."  
  
"Check. And bring two scouts with you."  
  
The glass windows of the snack area were dark, as was the small eating area. Empty food wrappers flittered between empty tables and stacked chairs. Tucked far beneath the third floor bleachers it got very little light, making the shadows seem deeper and more sinister. Khri was about to reach for her eye dampers when a sharp pain flared through her left wrist. Hissing through clenched teeth, she tightened her grip on Junior until he extracted his fangs. Grabbing him under his arms, she hoisted him to dangle in front of her again. "Dammit, you little rotter, what the hell is wrong with you?!"  
  
Junior grinned wickedly at her, blood staining his incisors. "Are you going to put me down now?"  
  
Khri's eyes narrowed to glowing slits. "Put you down like a deranged animal? Don't tempt me. If you want to get yourself killed later, fine, but you're going to do it on your time, not mine."  
  
"Commander?"  
  
Shadows shifted around the empty chairs and resolved into familiar forms. Sai and the two scouts wore close-fitting black camouflage body armor and masks that completely covered their faces, eyes hidden by dampers. She envied them; she had wanted to wear armor but her role in this mission required to her to have a more public – albeit reserved -- face. "Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet Junior. It seems he wants to defeat Son Goku. I haven't had the chance to tell him that Son Goku isn't here." When Junior gasped, Khri cocked her head. "That explains why you haven't felt his chi, doesn't it?"  
  
The little Namekian seemed to wilt, but his anger returned a second later. "It doesn't matter. It won't be long before I beat his friends and I'll beat Son Goku, and then I'll beat you!"  
  
"It looks like he already tried that," Sai said. "Your wrist is bleeding pretty badly. You need that tended."  
  
"I'm fine for the moment, Sai. But as for this one, what do you think? Is he the threat we've been looking for?" she teased.  
  
Her Second seemed amused. "The day the Telkarri use a Namekian child for their dirty work will be the day Traeger turns himself in for his own bounty," he scoffed. "I think a hard swat on his behind would do a lot to improve his behavior, though."  
  
"Do you hear that, Junior?" Khri raised an eyebrow. "I have a soft spot for Namekians, but I have to agree with Sai. One more attempt to chew your way free will get you a thwap on the backside. Am I perfectly clear?"  
  
Junior's baleful glower could have burned a hole through the wall and his cheeks took on a purple tint, but he eventually nodded.  
  
The whole absurd scene reminded Khri that stories traveled up the chain of command faster than light. Sai wouldn't breathe a word of this embarrassing incident and she could order the others to keep their mouths shut, but mouths leaked. Stories got out, sprouted legs and ran. Eventually it would reach home – after making a few strange twists and turns along the way – and Eldest would hear about it. Others would find out about her apparent fondness for Namekians and try to use it against her. Years of practice in controlling her facial expressions kept her from cringing at what Eldest would think and say. "Sai, I think we're going to have to make special arrangements to send this one back to Namek. He won't tell me..."  
  
Khri's array sent her an urgent warning ping. The scouts drew their _diacha_ but left them inactive; Sai pulled a sensor unit from his belt. "We've got Telkarri signatures sighted...at least six of them. Our scouts are on the move to intercept now. There's one on the first floor directly beneath us, in the practice arenas."  
  
Khri shifted Junior to one arm, hugged him against her ribcage and whipped out her own _diacha._ "Any weapons scanned?"  
  
"None...no blades, no projectiles, no energy signatures..."  
  
"Damn!" Khri opened the broad channel to all her scouts. "We've got either planted explosives – probably not chem bombs, that would draw worldwide attention – or Telkarran suicide troops. Odds are these bastards plan to kill everyone and everything just to take out the fighters. Find the detonators and destroy them, then disarm the bombs. If you encounter suicide troops, you know what to do."  
  
"Commander, should we notify the local authorities? We could always call in a bomb threat..."  
  
Khri spared a glance at Junior; he was watching her face carefully and not fighting her, at least for the moment. He'd been listening, and the word "bombs" wasn't hard to understand. Did he finally realize just how dangerous the situation was?  
  
Huge decisions like this were never easy. The stands were packed with thousands of men,  
women and children, and none of them questioned whether or not they'd live beyond today. "No, Sai. If we're fast we can handle this without causing a panic. So let's be fast. " She lowered her head and whispered into Junior's ear, "if you want there to be a world for you to dominate tomorrow, you need to help me now, here, today. I won't let anyone hurt you, so just hold tight and don't interfere."  
  
_So much for not making a scene_, Khri thought as she raced down the second floor concourse, following Sai and his scanner, trailed by the other two scouts. Startled spectators conveniently jumped out of their way as they flew down the wide, concrete stairs. Sai steered them into an abandoned corridor leading to the practice arenas, then came to a halt just outside a large set of open double doors.  
  
There wasn't a need for the scanner anymore. Inside the first door on the left Khri could see the movement of a single Telkarri. Its dappled back faced her, its spiny forelegs clicking together in agitation as it rasped into its transmitter. Its carapace wasn't the lowly brown of a suicide trooper or a slightly-smarter-than-a-rock yellow of a swarmer, but a vivid bottle green. _It could be worse_, Khri mused. _It could be a Blue_. She cast a worried eye down at Junior and was surprised to see him glaring at the Green, clenching his fists. _You see the real threat. Good. Now I just hope you've got sense enough to let me deal with it. _She held her _diacha_ at the ready with one hand, Junior tightly with the other. At her signal, they all slipped through the double doors.

That was where she saw her mistake.


	3. Chapter 3

"One Good Deed" - Chapter 3

_"Adults are prone to disappoint you, but children always surprise."_ - Khri  
  
The mirrored back wall of the exercise room gave Khri's strike team a great view of the surprised Green. It also gave the gave the Green an extra second to see the moving shadows in the hall before she could initiate the attack. Four _diacha _hissed to life, filling the room with reflected light from the mirrors. Sai's blades shimmered a green and once activated resembled a polearm. The two scouts wielded swords of see-through blue light. Khri's own weapon sprouted long, slightly curved blades of white light from both ends.  
  
"Put the control switch on the floor, slowly," Khri growled, but it sounded like spitting in the Telkarri language. She glowered at the monster, holding her _diacha_ horizontally before her.  
  
Recognition touched with fear burned in the black, slitted eyes, and its mandibles flared in a screech. One of the forelegs it used as a hand wrapped around a black control unit that flashed red. The Green gestured with the control unit to the wall behind it. Crawling up the mirror behind it was the coiling nightmare of a high-powered chem bomb. The Green lumbered backward closer to the bomb, its eyes fixed on Khri, and screeched again.   
  
"Yes, you know who I am, don't you? Now lower that switch."  
  
The Green let out another screech, this time in fury. Greens weren't the brightest minions of the hive, but they could be counted on to press the big red button when the time came. This one didn't get the chance, stopped by a glowing bolt of energy that sheared off its claw and sent the control switch flying.  
  
Khri gasped and looked down at Junior, still snug in the crook of her arm. His hand was outstretched, faintly glowing, prepared for another blast. _A warrior Namekian! I should have known...now its my turn!_ Her _diacha_ arced forward and she slashed the communicator from the Green's shoulder. The shoulder went with it. Sai's blade sliced through its thorax and Khri spun away, protecting both her unarmored body and Junior from the spraying acids. What was left of it twitched as Sai eagerly sheared off its head.  
  
"Get that chem bomb disabled now!" she snapped over the dying screech of the Green. The two other scouts were already hard at work when Khri enabled her comm array. "Status report now, all teams sound off."  
  
"Team One, we've got one Green down. There was one chem bomb and secondary explosive hidden underneath the chem, set to go off ten marks after the chem if it didn't detonate. Both have been disabled."  
  
"Team Two, same configuration here. The chem bomb is down but we're still in the process of disabling the secondary."  
  
"Team Three, same as Team Two, but with one casualty. Siridan is down."  
  
_Ahhh, damn_. "Sai, there are secondary explosive devices along with the chem bombs. Team One, split off and do final sweeps for hidden bombs or any other surprises. Pay special attention to the stands., and don't pull the watchers off the fighters just yet. Team Two, when you're done down there I want you to do another perimeter check for snipers. Team Three? Get Siridan out of there and commence with cleanup."  
  
"Check, Commander."  
  
Khri stopped pouring energy into her _diacha_, letting the blades fade. She felt a tug on the breast of her jacket.  
  
Junior was looking up at her, scowling as usual, but he seemed to be a lot less determined about it. "You don't use chi, do you? You use something else. And you funnel it through those black tubes."  
  
His reasonable tone earned him a faint smile. "We do. It's a bit like the reverse polarity of chi, if that makes sense. If I had known what you were capable of, I would've cautioned you against using that chi blast. Mixing the two energies can be...well...more than a little messy." Her smile reached her eyes. "I'm glad you did it though."  
  
Junior's frowned deepened. "Those creatures are a threat to my conquest and I won't allow it."  
  
Khri resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "For now, I'm not going to argue with you. I..."  
  
"Commander?" Sai had removed his dampers and what she saw in his eyes caught her immediate attention. He was standing over the two scouts, who had kits out and were hard at work on disabling the chem bomb. "We've got a serious problem."  
  
Careful to avoid the oozing mess on the floor, Khri moved closer. "Another one? Let me guess. There's a problem with the secondary. Timer, hardware, or something else?"  
  
"Hardware. This one has a different system than the teams encountered or we would've heard the big bangs by now. If we deactivate the switch on the chem bomb, it automatically triggers the secondary." He glanced at the controls on his wrist. "Whatever we do, we need to do it soon. The chem bomb is scheduled to detonate in less than seven marks."  
  
_ This is why scout leaders with more recent experience and training should've been assigned to this, not me_, Khri grumbled to herself, pursing her lips. "Any suggestions, scouts? Is there a way to interrupt the leads from the chem to the secondary and not have the secondary go off?"  
  
The shorter of the two, a young woman with a velvet voice, turned away from the timer assembly. "Battle Commander, we may be able to tap into the leads from the main timer on the chem bomb going into the secondary. If we can do that we can add more time to the secondary, disable the chem and then find another way to take out the secondary."   
  
"Do it." She activated the array again. "Teams Two and Three, watch out for detonator problems, specifically with the hardware. We've got one down here."  
  
"Check!"  
  
Khri felt the return of the itch on the back of her neck. She walked back to the door and to Junior's surprise, knelt and set him on his feet. "You're going to let me go now?"  
  
"Little one, I want you run." She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I trust my scouts, but I've got a feeling about this...I want you to get out of this stadium and as far from the area as you can. If you've got the chi to fly, do it." Before he could duck away, she touched his forehead and planted a quick kiss between his antennae. "Be careful, and be safe."   
  
Turning away was harder than she thought it would be. Khri squared her shoulders and returned to her post behind Sai and the busy scouts. When she spared a glance back, Junior had gone.  
  
"Commander, we're ready to add more time to the secondary, but we can only do it once."  
  
Khri clenched her jaw. "Add as much time as you can. Nothing has been routine with this mission and I don't expect it to change any time soon, so we need to allow for more problems."  
  
A loud blast shook the room, followed by a cloud of dust and debris that blew in from the open door. "Keep working on that timer!" Khri yelled as she grabbed her _diacha_ and vaulted over the dead Green. "Don't stop working! Sai, come with me!"  
  
"Check!"  
  
The corridor was so choked with dust Khri could barely see. She could, however, hear an angry screech as it echoed down the hall. Her _diacha_ flared to life and she heard Sai's weapon hiss behind her.   
  
A ball of light flared to life and outlined the young Namekian, his hands raised and still glowing. "Junior!" Khri barked and bolted down the hall. A Telkarri was bearing down on him and it wasn't a Green.  
  
It was a Blue.

To Be Continued...


	4. Chapter 4

_"One Good Deed"_ - Chapter 4  
  
Khri's free hand clenched into a fist, forming a sphere of dark purple fire that arced and flickered, waiting to be released. She was dimly aware that Sai was powering up a blast of his own. "Junior, fire and then get back here!" she yelled, hoping for once the little Namek would listen.  
  
Junior's chi blast – his second or his third, Khri wasn't sure – hit the towering Blue full in the face. It stopped for just a moment, long enough for her to see the flare of energy skid off the invisible shielding the Telkarri used. Junior had very good aim, but either he'd used up too much of his chi or he was just too young to pack a harder punch. He whirled around and ran in her direction, through her legs, and took up a stance behind her left knee. "Junior, run! Get out of here!" she shouted, raising her hand and letting her own blast fly.  
  
Purple energy flared against the Telkarran's shield for a split second before piercing it. The shield managed to deflected the blast just enough for it to hit the Blue's side rather than its vulnerable thorax. Khri drew her arm back to gather energy for a second burst as Sai's own blast caught it on the side of the head.  
  
Mandibles flared and the Blue roared, oozing acid. "B'tl C'mnndrr Khreeee" it ground out, barely understandable with so few vowels, "Y'h dhye t'daeeee." It began to advance slowly, thumping its heavy legs one at a time against the floor and crushing already broken tiles.  
  
_Why can't they come up with something original? Blues are supposed to be the smart ones! _Khri remained silent, aware of Junior's small hand gripping her left calf. She looked past the Blue and saw no additional Telkarri behind it, but the Blue hadn't shown up on scans, either. "Junior, get behind Sai and don't use a chi blast," she said, giving her _diacha_ a spin and appreciating the reassuring smell of burning ozone. The hand released her leg.  
  
Khri let her next powered sphere fly at the Blue. It managed to get past the damaged shield and strike its thorax, but that wasn't her goal. As the creature shrieked in pain and anger, Khri launched herself inside the Blue's reach. She dodged between its flailing forelegs and oozing mandibles with one of the fast attacks for which she was notorious. The glowing blades bit deep and sheared off limbs before burying themselves in the Blue's thorax. Acid splattered her shoulder and back, but Khri ignored the burning smell and carried through the final stroke. The ugly head flew from the Blue's body and hit the wall, leaving a trail of acid and ooze as it slid down to the floor.  
  
Dousing the blades, Khri let Sai help her strip off the jacket. The acid had only eaten through the rugged outer layer, damaging the thin thermal coils and insulation, and didn't penetrate the soft liner. She tossed it on the floor; another casualty for the clean-up squad. "Are you all right, Junior?" she asked, tucking her _diacha_ into her belt.  
  
Standing behind Sai, he merely nodded. His narrowed eyes, however, were focused on the corpse of the Blue.

Khri led the way back into the exercise room where the two scouts were still at work. "What's the status?"  
  
The female scout looked up. "We added seventy-two marks to the timer but we won't need them, Commander. We just disabled the secondary."  
  
For the first time in what felt like days, Khri was able to completely exhale. "Sai, what's wrong with that damned scanner of yours? Why didn't it detect the Greens earlier, and it didn't pick up that Blue at all."  
  
Sai pulled device in question and activated it. "Its registering the bodies of the Green and the Blue, but nothing alive and moving. Obviously that doesn't mean anything." His own amber eyes stared levelly at her. "It could be an equipment malfunction."  
  
Khri's voice dropped. "Could be. But on all the team's scanners? You obviously aren't convinced and neither am I." What he didn't say was 'suspected rival Clan sabotage.'  
  
"I'm going to run a complete diagnostic on all the scanning gear when we get back to the ship. I'm also going to find out the last use points and who serviced it."  
  
Nobody could ever accuse Sai of not being thorough.   
  
Khri opened the array's broad channel and gave the teams an update, as well as alerted them to watch for any other Telkarri that might have escaped notice. She also notified the clean-up squad there was a job waiting for them. _At least Eldest didn't bump me all the way down to that assignment!_ There were fewer jobs nastier than scraping butchered and beheaded Telkarri off floors and walls. "Sai, you'll be glad to know we've got clearance to fall back to the landing point and get ready for evac."  
  
She sensed him grin through his mask. "Very glad, Commander."  
  
Brushing a few bits of debris from her hair, Khri started for the door and was startled to see a small figure standing there, patiently waiting. "Junior! Why are you still here? Are you all right?"  
  
He blinked once. "I'm fine."  
  
"I'm not. It stinks like cooked bug in here. Let's get some fresh air."

The soft, white clouds had taken on hues of pink and orange as the sun drifted across the late afternoon sky. Two shadows, one tall and one very small, crested the top of a hill not too far from the still-packed stadium. Khri cocked one ear at the sudden surge of cheering; the two current combatants must be putting on quite a show.  
  
The hill overlooked a tree-ringed hollow. From a distance she could make out several benches, waste cans and a small fountain. A nearby path was obstructed by a wide, wooden gate that read "Warning: Park Closed Due to Toxic Spill – Do Not Enter." _Yes, Telkarri are toxic, especially if you blast holes in them_, Khri smirked to herself. She winked at the familiar security guard that guarded the gate and walked by. In the clearing below she could make out the drop ship which sat huddled like an oversized turtle, its dark green backside barely clearing the tops of the trees. Four scouts appeared over the top of a distant hill, bearing a load of disabled chem bombs on a floating pallet. She spared one final glance back at the noisy stadium, then dropped to a crouch beside her small companion.   
  
Junior was frowning at her, tight fisted and jaw clenched. She gave him a hint of a smile. "You may be Namekian but you were born here on Earth, weren't you?"  
  
His reaction of surprise gave her the answer. "Very well then, Junior, I won't force you to leave, if this is where you're determined to stay. I don't know if anyone is caring for you, but you seem to be healthy and you've certainly learned how to survive. My offer still stands, though. Do you want to go to Namek...?" Junior scowled again. "I thought not. In that case, little one, this is where I must leave you."   
  
Khri glided back to her feet and turned away. She'd taken no more than two steps when she paused, turned slightly and looked at Junior over her shoulder, suddenly curious at something he'd said earlier. "Are you still determined to beat me after you defeat Son Goku?"  
  
"I've seen you fight," he growled. "I want to beat you, now more than ever!"  
  
A half-smile quirked Khri's face. "Really? Then I'll tell you how to do it." She enjoyed watching the different emotions flicker through Junior's eyes and across his little face. _He's going to have to master that someday. He's too easy to read._  
  
Khri turned completely around and looked down at the Namekian who barely came up to her knees. She moved naturally into her command stance, her face stony. "Live. Push yourself. Question. Learn. Take the challenges as they come and examine them once they've been conquered. Don't let others force you into a path they think you should take." Her half-smile returned. "I'd tell you to grow up, but I have a feeling that growth won't be a problem for you." Khri started to turn away. "If you can accomplish all that and still want to face me...I'll be waiting." She raised a hand in farewell, squared her shoulders, and started the trip down the hill.  
  
_Don't look back, don't look back...just keep walking...  
_  
At the bottom of the hill Khri passed through the cool shade of the trees and shivered, suddenly regretting the loss of her jacket. The late evening was a warm one – at least by Earth standards – but not for one of the Leonid clan. She returned the welcoming salutes from the scouts assembled outside the ship and waved them back to work. One of the ranking scouts approached her, saluted, and handed her a slimpad and stylus. "Here's the total inventories and the kill lists, Battle Commander. We should have all cargo loaded and be ready for launch in forty marks."  
  
"How's the local monitoring?"  
  
"No signs of anything on the radio or television transmissions, but we won't know about their print media until tomorrow. Clean-up is going as planned and the crew is scheduled to return in less than twenty marks."  
  
Khri sighed. "Well done, Captain. As to Siridan...I'll compose the missive to his family myself. He was a good man."  
  
The captain ducked his head. "Ah, Battle Commander, can I suggest you see one of the medics?"  
  
Small rivers of dried blood criss-crossed Khri's left wrist where Junior had bitten her. It wasn't painful and she really didn't feel like dealing with it at the moment. "Thank you for the reminder, Commander." Dismissed, he retreated up the ramp and back into the ship.  
  
Khri took the slimpad up the ramp, grabbed a spare jacket from a supply locker, and found her seat in the main cab. The pilots were already hard at work running through pre-launch checks; she noticed they had one of the monitors tuned to the local television station broadcasting the tournament. It was on the final match, and it looked like Tenshinan would come out the victor. She was finally free to take off the heavy battle array, which she folded carefully like a delicate fan, and stretched her neck from side to side. Feeling tired but relaxed, she picked up the stylus and started to review the details of the mission. So far no other equipment failures other than the scanners had been reported...  
  
It wasn't long before Sai arrived. _Back to formalities_, she sighed, returning his salute. He sat down beside her, placed a sealed cup of hot tea in her hand, then glanced to make sure the pilots were too busy to pay attention to their passengers. Khri could barely hear his voice over the warming engines. "Commander, may I ask, what became of Junior?"  
  
"I let him go, Sai. I asked him if he was born on Earth and he didn't deny it. I did offer to send him to Namek, but it wasn't what he wanted. I feel guilty as hell about it, too. I have to hope he'll be all right on his own." She took a sip of the wonderful, comforting tea. "I can make some quiet inquiries through Eldest to Namek about him, but those go unanswered more often than not. I can't leave him out of that particular report either."  
  
"Speaking of Junior, are you going to have that bite he gave you cleaned up?"  
  
Khri raised an eyebrow. "Have you been talking with the captain? I'll take care of it later, I promise. Right now I just some time to think."  
  
A handful of marks passed and the engines finally flared to life. Strapped securely into her seat, Khri watched their rise from the trees and launch into the sky through the main port. The sunset had darkened enough to allow a scattering of stars to shine through. It only took a moment longer before the rich colors faded completely and left only the stars. The mission was over with only one life lost but thousands saved, including that of a bad-tempered little Namek. A technical success.  
  
_So why_, wondered Khri as she closed her eyes, _does this assignment feel so...  
  
Incomplete?   
_

**TO BE CONTINUED!** Its not over yet...


	5. Epilogue: Exile

_"One Good Deed" - Epilogue - "Exile"  
  
Thirty Years Later...on the Leonid command ship _Aughenai_...  
  
Something has happened_, Sai thought.  
  
Steam from the steeping tea circled above the tray he held as he stood frozen in the doorway of the tiny kitchen. He'd heard the Battle Commander come in a few moments ago, but she hadn't taken her usual place at her desk. Imbedded lights that signaled new reports flashed on the desktop and were ignored. She stood behind it instead, back to the room, and stared out the floor-length portal. She still wore the heavy ankle-length cloak which was part of her duty uniform; normally it would have been draped over the back of the nearest chair the moment she walked in.  
  
_Something bad has happened_, Sai amended his thought.  
  
The Leonid fleet had arrived in Earth's solar system a few hours ago, which initiated a series of long meetings between the Fleet Commander, the Battle Commander and the Envoy from Home. They'd been pulled out of Earth's system years ago, replaced by the Tigradi Clan's forces, and now they'd been assigned to Earth again. Khri was obviously tired because of transition duties, but he knew her well enough to realize the meetings hadn't gone well. The set of her shoulders, her hardened jaw, her habit of rubbing her left wrist...all subtle signs of serious trouble.  
  
"Dammit, Sai!" Khri spun and slammed a fist on the glossy desktop. "Tigradi incompetence has left this entire sector a mess! Holes in the blockades, security breaches, equipment that wasn't maintained, long range orbital monitors damaged and not repaired...it's a miracle the whole sector hasn't been overrun with Telkarri!" Khri's eyes glowed faintly not because of the dim lighting her her quarters, but in fury. "When our fleet was ordered out of this system, I knew exactly what defenses we left and how they were deployed! All our careful work has been undone because of politics Stupid. Just damned stupid. And then there's this!" Khri's fingers skated over the desk controls and activated the holographic display. "Have you read these updates?"  
  
"Not yet, Commander," Sai replied, carefully setting the tray down on the edge of the desk, far away from the possible peril of her anger. "They just came in a few marks ago."  
  
"Well, they're a mess too! After the Fleet Commander went on duty, the Envoy told me what to expect in the reports from Earth. Would you believe at least three Sayian scout ships got through? How about Lord Freeza bringing his father by for a short visit? And then there's the matter of a scientist who decided to unleash androids and cyborgs on the planet.." Khri's tirade ground to a halt. "I suppose I can't blame the android problem on Tigradi, but I can't imagine how they expect our fleet to clean this up and provide the sector with cover at the same time." An abrupt chill seemed to overtake her and her anger cooled. "But that's someone else's problem now."  
  
Sai nearly overturned the cup he was filling. "Pardon, Commander?"  
  
Khri turned to resume her stare out the portal, arms folded.. She closed her eyes briefly, sighed, then looked back to her Second. "I'm being sent to Earth, Sai. Alone."  
  
It took a few marks for her words to sink in. Sai barely scratched the surface when it came to the implications, and knew he probably would never catch them all. "But your command..."  
  
"...will be assumed by Commander Ahtai. He's very familiar with day-to-day combat operations withint the fleet. He also understands the _Aughenai_ and knows what she's capable of. What he doesn't know he'll learn quickly."  
  
The maneuvers involved in making any changes to a successful command staff were always extraordinary, unless a commander died or permission to retire was granted. For a loyal and remarkable Battle Commander to be yanked from her post was unthinkable and outrageous, unless..."Commander, did this order come from Eldest himself?"  
  
Khri's expression turned grim. "Yes, and no. It came directly from his offices at Home, but the orders are so vague they make me suspicious. I'm to go alone, I'm to establish a home base, blend in with the population and, most importantly, stick close to the Son family."  
  
An old memory stirred. "Wasn't he one of the chi fighters..."  
  
"Yes. There are several of them now and their powers are considerable, especially Son Goku, who now has two sons named Gohan and Goten. Surveillance hasn't been able to provide a lot of concrete information, but I think that's because they're not believing what info they're getting. I can't say I blame them because I'm skeptical, too." Khri sighed again. "I guess it doesn't really matter what I do and don't believe. I've been assigned to Earth, although right now it feels like I'm going into exile." Her eyes focused on his, her expression unreadable. "Sai, I'm going to put your promotion through again, if you want it. Ahtai is tough and demanding but far from heartless. He's already told me he'd like you to stay as his Second but would accept your decision. I'm afraid I can only give you a day to think it over."  
  
Sai studied the face of his superior officer, the one he'd served for over five decades. Nothing about her had changed -- except for the length of her braid, perhaps -- but he felt her eyes were gradually losing what warmth she allowed them to show. _She's becoming too remote, too cold, too polished_, he thought, _like a statue that's always admired and appreciated, always frozen in place_. Life without her would be the biggest change he'd ever experienced; she had tried to get him to accept promotions before but he refused to leave her side. Now the decision had been made for him, for the both of them. Long suppressed and ruthlessly neglected feelings threatened to shove his resolve to keep cool himself aside. He balled his fists behind his back to hide them. _Not now, not ever, unless the impossible happens and she gives me a signal. She's not cracking so neither will I_. "If Commander Ahtai is willing, I will stay on," he said, hoping his voice didn't shake.  
  
Khri's eyes softened and she gave him a small, sad smile. "Thank you, Sai. The transition won't be easy, but you'll make Ahtai feel a lot more confident if you stay, if only for a while. If you feel you do need a change, there are still plenty of smaller ships out there in need of good officers."  
  
"You're welcome and thank you, Commander." Sai choked back a bitter laugh. _Going from acting as Second to the celebrated Battle Commander of the _Aughenai _to any other post will be a step down_, he thought bitterly. If only he could accompany her to Earth.  
  
Earth! What an insane world, populated with humans and other intelligent species that were dimly aware they'd been visited by aliens and didn't seem too worried about it. Khri could visually pass as a human female – albeit a very tall one – without a lot of effort and a set of eye shields. Adjusting to the culture itself would be a lot more challenging. He tried, just for a moment, to envision Khri in one of those sleeveless clingy dresses so many Earth women wore. He blushed and immediately vowed never to torment himself with that image that again.  
  
"Sai? Are you all right?"  
  
"Uh...sorry, Commander. I'm just trying to understand all the implications of this. Did they give you an estimate of how long you'll be on Earth?"   
  
"The orders say 'indefinite' but we know what that means. Odds are my hair will have silvered-over before I can come home."  
  
Sai felt the beginnings of indignation building inside him. The Eldest of Clan Leonid was sending its renown Battle Commander, also a First Circle Leonid, on what appeared to be a babysitting mission with no end in sight. Instead she should have the honor of contemplating her eventual retirement, returning Home, finding a suitable husband _no, don't think about that, not right now_, and serving the Clan in a more direct manner by attempting to have a large family. Instead she was being ordered into exile and required to live on her own, alone. "C...Commander, how long before you have to leave?"  
  
Her eyes were back to their clear, golden, frosted selves. "Two days. I'm being allowed to take very little with me. My _diacha_ and a spare, my currency codes, a slimpad with uplink and a few personal items. I can take the information I'm using for my special Clan projects and that's all. Once I'm established, however, a tech team is going to bring down and install a large computer system. If you would arrange to have the rest of my effects shipped Home, it would be one less thing to worry about." Khri turned back to the portal; something outside kept attracting her attention. Was it Earth's sun, or was it merely a backdrop for all the emotions her mind had to be churning over? "Since my assignment is so...undefined...once I'm established I could have a lot of time on my hands."  
  
She was rubbing her left wrist again.  
  
Sai dared to walk around the desk and stand in front of Khri. She'd taken off her gloves upon entering her quarters, and her sleeve was pushed back from her wrist. In the dim lighting they were hard to see, but Sai knew the size and shape of those four small scars. The bite that caused them happened long ago, but she had refused immediate treatment and the wounds scarred over. She could have had them removed in the years since, but she had always found a reason to put it off.  
  
"You're going to look for him, aren't you?"  
  
"I always wondered what happened to him, Sai. I still feel a twinge of guilt now and then for leaving him the way I did, even though I know it was the right thing to do. Once I've found a house and the computer system is up and running, I should have some free time and can start an investigation. I want to know if he's still alive. It's a small consolation, but I'm going to take it."  
  
Sai let a long moment of silence lapse, sinking into his own disappointment and confusion. What could he say? _So long, Commander, hope to see you again someday?_ Or, _I love you, Khri, figure out a way to stay or take me with you..._ His grip tightened around one of the cups, the tea no longer hot.   
  
"I don't know what to say either, Sai." Khri's voice was soft, softer than he'd heard it in a long time. "I'm resigned to this, for the moment, and I've got a lot of work to do before I can even think about packing. Hopefully it will be enough to keep me from getting really, really angry."  
  
_I have a lot to do as well, like hold myself together for the next two days_. "Let me know if you need anything, Commander," he said smoothly, retrieving the tea tray and heading into the kitchenette. He spared one glance back at Khri, who had settled into her desk chair. What work she intended to do he didn't know, since she'd turned the chair to face the portal.  
  
The room felt darker than it had before, as if more than just the lights had been dimmed...

* * *

AN: Thank you to all those who've read and enjoyed this story. Please be assured that Khri's adventure does NOT end here! I'm not one of those writers who will leave you with unanswered questions for too long. Her story will be continued very soon, so look for a new title :-) 


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